White Paper Wednesday Episode 3: A by the Numbers Look at State Lobbying

AUBURN, AL- In our last article, we wrote about the time period of 2006 to 2015 and introduced a few thoughts. Below we briefly break down the numbers of lobbyists at the state level over the decade.

The total number of state-level lobbyists grew from 42,895 to 45,555- a growth of 2660 lobbyists. This represents an increase in state lobbyists of 6.2% over the decade.

Across the country, 28 states saw an increase in the number of lobbyists. Twenty-two states saw a decrease. Two states (California and Massachusetts) saw their numbers more-than-double while one state (Wyoming) saw its numbers cut by more-than-half.

In 2006, the ten states with the most lobbyists were (in order): New York, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, Texas, Georgia, Missouri, and Michigan.

In 2015, the ten states with the most lobbyists were (in order): New York, Arizona, Florida, California, Illinois, Texas, Ohio, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Michigan.

Despite the passage of ten years, eight states remained the same.

Over the decade, the ten states that saw the most growth in lobbying as a percentage were (in order): California, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, North Dakota, Maine, New York, and Delaware.

Two states (New York and Texas, the #3 and #2 ranked states in terms of population) were ranked in the top ten in lobbyists in 2006 and were still in the top 10 in growth over the decade. California and Massachusetts “earned” their way onto the top ten list in 2015- despite not “making it” in 2006- due to extraordinary growth in the numbers.

Over the decade, the ten states that saw the most significant reduction in lobbying as a percentage were (in order): Wyoming, Nevada, Montana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, New Mexico, Georgia, Connecticut, Virginia, and Iowa.

Georgia was one of two states (Missouri being the other) to drop from the top ten from 2006 to 2015. Its reduction rate placed fueled the drop.

Over the decade, the ten states that saw the most significant increase in the raw number of lobbyists were (in order): California, New York, Massachusetts, Texas, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Indiana, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Rhode Island.

Over the decade, the ten states that saw the most significant decrease in the raw number of lobbyists were (in order): Wyoming, Nevada, Georgia, Florida, Wisconsin, Kentucky, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, and Virginia.

Despite the large decrease in raw numbers from Florida and Arizona, both still held steady in the rankings.

We will be providing more insight into these numbers in the coming days, and we encourage your comments on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/takebackorg/ and hope you will continue to check TakeBack.org as we continue this journey.